All India Congress Committee on Tuesday, 5 December finally decided to go with Revanth Reddy as the Chief Minister of Telangana.
Published Dec 05, 2023 | 8:02 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 05, 2023 | 8:02 PM
Earlier, on Monday, the CLP meeting left the choice of its leader — effectively the next chief minister of Telangana — to the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Tuesday, 5 December, finally decided to go with its state unit chief Anumula Revanth Reddy as the chief minister of Telangana. He will take oath of office on 7 December.
The AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal announced the name of 54-year-old Revanth Reddy as the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader of Telangana — where the party won 64 seats in 119-member Assembly in the 30 November election — effectively naming him the chief minister.
Earlier, on Monday, the CLP meeting left the choice of its leader to the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge. Revanth Reddy — always the frontrunner for the post — himself proposed the one-line resolution leaving the choice of the CLP leader to Kharge.
There were clearly matters to be sorted out as some senior leaders were not enamoured of the idea of Revanth Reddy as chief minister.
The party high command thus summoned all the key players — AICC observer and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakare, and two of the contenders for the top post, former CLP leader and party’s Dalit face Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy — to New Delhi on Tuesday for consultations.
As the wait for the announcement of CLP leader was making everyone curious, the media received a message from the Congress party about a press conference by Venugopal.
“Good evening, Here is an announcement regarding Telangana CLP,” was Venugopal’s opening remark.
He continued: “Yesterday, the CLP had its meeting in Hyderabad to decide the new CLP leader. Mr DK Shivkumar, Manikrao Thakare, Deepa Dasmunsi, K Murlidharan, KJ George and Ajoy Kumar, the observers, attended the meeting. The meeting passed a resolution unanimously entrusting the decision of CLP leader to the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.”
“Today, at noon, DK Shivkumar and Manikrao Thakare gave a detailed report on the CLP meeting. After looking at the report and discussions with the senior leadership, Mallikarjuna Kharge decided on the name of TPCC president Revanth Reddy as CLP leader,” Venugopal said.
At the press briefing, Venugopal was flanked by Manikrao Thakare, DK Shivkumar, Uttam Kumar Reddy as well as Bhatti Vikramarka.
Venugopal added that the swearing-in ceremony would take place on Thursday, 7 November.
“This is going to be a team, not going to be a one-man show. Congress will go with a team,” said Venugopal.
Following the announcement, Revanth Reddy left Hyderabad for Delhi, where he will meet AICC leadership and finalise the names for his 18-member Cabinet.
The delay in announcing the chief minister candidate in Telangana was not due to differences over party state chief Revanth Reddy’s candidature for the top post, but due to disagreements over who will be the deputy chief ministers, and accommodating various contenders within the government.
Contrary to several reports that senior leaders of Telangana Congress — such as Bhatti Vikramarka, Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy — are opposed to Revanth Reddy becoming chief minister, highly placed sources in Congress told South First that there was no difference of opinion on this count.
During the Telangana CLP meeting on Monday in Hyderabad, there was, in fact, a consensus on naming Revanth as both CLP chief and chief ministerial candidate.
Out of 64 members present at the meeting at Ellaa Hotel in Hyderabad, 40 preferred Revanth Reddy for the chief minister’s post, while others remained neutral or opposed.
